Evidence for a 'top-down' Universe

AUTHOR(S)

Chown, Marcus

PUB. DATE

December 1991

SOURCE

New Scientist;12/14/91, Vol. 132 Issue 1799, p19

SOURCE TYPE

Periodical

DOC. TYPE

Article

ABSTRACT

Reports on an evidence for a top-down model of the Universe provided by a team of astronomers in the U.S. Discovery of a cloud of hydrogen gas which existed in the early Universe; Observation of a sheet-like concentration of gas emitting intense radio waves at one particular frequency.

Comments on the press coverage given to the research concerning the average color of the universe. Public opinion on the research; Astronomers who collaborated on the project; Impact of the research on science journalism.

Reports that the data from the COBE satellite shows that the Universe will continue to expand to infinity. Theory of relativity which provides three options for the expanding universe; Change in the shape of the surface of the Universe brought about by the negative curvature.

Reports on the implications of the soundlike oscillations of the universe. Experiments made to detect the cosmic ringings; Relationship between the mass of the ringings and composition of the universe; Existence of the ringings.

Talks about debates among astronomers over the size of the universe at the auditorium of the Smithsonian Institution's Natural History Museum in Washington as of January 2002. Use of Hubble's Constant as a method in the computation of the size of the universe; Evidences offered by astronomers;...

Features observations of the universe through Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite of the US National Aeronautics & Space Administration. Data from the Differential Microwave Radiometer (DMR) instrument; Meaning of the COBE results; Supportive theories in verifying COBE's claims.

Focuses on the color of the universe, which astronomers Karl Glazebrook and Ivan Baldry of Johns Hopkins University believe is a pale shade of green. Mention of the Two Degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey, the largest spectroscopic survey completed as of May 1, 2002; Way that the color of the...

Features the telescope at the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in New Mexico. Creation of a map of the universe; Possibility in exploring the universe in cyberspace; Duration of the travel of the light of quasars toward planet Earth.